Welcome to the 85th Annual
Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
Pineville, Kentucky
May 21 - 24, 2015
Ray Welch
Photography
Compliments of
The Middlesboro Coca-Cola Bottling Works
1324 Cumberland Avenue
Middlesboro, Kentucky
Bell County Fiscal Court
Welcomes you to the 85th Annual
Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
Bell County Judge Executive Albey Brock
District 1 Magistrate Wade Hoskins
District 2 Magistrate Hubert Dozier
District 3 Magistrate Lonnie Maiden
District 4 Magistrate Coye Silcox
District 5 Magistrate Ricky Goodin
Best of Luck to
our 2015
Kentucky
Mountain
Laurel
Princess
Candidate
Savanna Marie Nunnelly
Pineville High School
from Superintendent Terry Hayes
and the Pineville Board of Education
Ann Combs Gaines, Chair
James Golden, Josh Howard,
Clark Jones and Mary Steele
Welcome to the 85th Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
Since the beginning of
time, Spring has been
perhaps the most relished of all seasons.
Welcome to Pineville,
KY as we gather to celebrate the 85th Annual
Kentucky
Mountain
Laurel Festival, an annual event that is steeped
in tradition.
The Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival is
one of Kentucky's oldest, finding its start in
1931, when Mrs. Annie
Walker Burns established the festival as a
way to honor her famous
ancestor, Dr. Thomas
Walker, a pioneer explorer who was the first
European to enter Kentucky and who, along
with a party of explorers,
visited the present site of
Pineville in 1750. Ms.
Burns was captivated by
the history and beauty
surrounding Pineville
and appealed to Governor Flem D. Sampson of
Barbourville to initiate
some type of event to
honor Dr. Walker. She
gained the support of
other influential Bell
Countians, and the 1931
Festival was staged at
nearby Clear Creek
Springs. The L&N Railroad ran a special train
from Pineville for the
festivities. The first
queen was Ms. Betty
Baxter of Beatyville
who represented Eastern
State Teachers College
at Richmond. Baxter
was crowned by the
Governor. Since that
time, the devotion and
hospitality of so many,
along with the resonant
history of the festival,
have enabled this beautiful event to thrive for
eighty years.
The first several years,
Ms. A. L. (Nettie)
Hutchinson, President of
the Pineville Woman’s
Club, was the guiding
force in the Festival’s
continuation. In 1933,
the festival site was
moved to the Pine
Mountain State Resort
Park (known at that time
as Cumberland Park).
The coronation pageant
has been held at this location ever since.
As far as we have
been able to ascertain,
the Festival is the oldest
continuous event of its
kind in the United
States. It has been held
annually except for six
World War II years of
1942-1947.
The 2015 Kentucky
Mountain Laurel Festival is scheduled for May
21st thru May 24th. The
KMLF Committee along
with area residents welcome you to Pineville
for this annual event.
The festival features
many events including a
Queen's
Coronation.
Since May queens have
been celebrated in song,
verse and festivals for
centuries, it's only suitable that this festival
garland a queen with the
native Mountain Laurel.
Local residents open
their homes to these accomplished and lovely
young queen candidates,
selected to represent
their Kentucky College
or University in the annual pageant. During the
coronation, held at an
exquisite outdoor amphitheater near the close
of the weekend, each
queen curtseys to the
Governor of Kentucky
and in turn he crowns
the winning candidate.
In addition to the
coronation, the festival
features crafts and concessions, a carnival, a
5K Run, an annual golf
tournament, an entertaining parade and much
more. Festivities begin
during opening night
ceremonies on May 21st
with a concert by Craig
Wayne Boyd, winner of
The Voice. Also performing that evening
will be local favorites
The Nate Cornett Band.
2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Schedule of Events
5pm-10pm
All Day
9am-4pm
Noon
5pm-10pm
7pm
7:30pm
All Day
9am-5pm
Noon
3pm
4pm-11pm
5pm-11pm
All Day
8:30pm
9pm
10:30pm
WEDNESDAY MAY 20th
Gold Medal Carnival
THURSDAY MAY 21st
Crafts and Concessions
Courthouse Square
Bell County Homemakers Quilt Show
Old Bell County Courthouse Basement
Appalachian Reading Foundation
Free Children’s Books
Gold Medal Carnival
Downtown Pineville
Official Opening of the KMLF
Introduction of the Queen and Princess Candidates
Bell County High School
Highway 25E, Pineville
Craig Wayne Boyd in Concert
also appearing, The Nate Cornett Band
General Admission $10; Reserved Seating $15
FRIDAY MAY 22nd
Crafts and Concessions
Courthouse Square
Bell County Homemakers Quilt Show
Old Bell County Courthouse Basement
Appalachian Reading Foundation
Free Children’s Books
Queen’s Reception and Open House
Home of Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Capps
Ridgewood Circle, Pineville
Downtown Entertainment and Karaoke
w/Brian O’Brien, Courthouse Square
Gold Medal Carnival
Downtown Pineville
Golf Tournament Practice Rounds
Wasioto Winds Golf Course
Princess Coronation
Pineville High School; Entertainment by
Blair Combs & Jarrod Nunnelley
Admission $5.00 at the gate
KMLF Karaoke Contest
Courthouse Square, Pineville
Fireworks Display
Seen from downtown Pineville
SATURDAY MAY 23rd
All Day
Crafts and Concessions
Courthouse Square
8am
KMLF 5K Run/Walk, downtown Pineville
Pre-registration at KMLF Office
All Day
Golf Tournament Opening Round
Wasioto Winds Golf Course
For tee times call 606-337-1066
10am
Gala Parade
downtown Pineville
11am - 2pm Bell County Homemakers Quilt Show
Old Bell County Courthouse Basement
11am-4pm Appalachian Reading Foundation
Free Children’s Books
12 Noon
Gold Medal Carnival
Downtown Pineville
12 Noon
Governor’s Luncheon
honoring Governor Steven L. Beshear
Herndon J. Evans Lodge
Open to the Public; Admission $25.00
2pm
Queen’s Coronation
Laurel Cove Ampitheater
Pine Mountain State Resort Park
General Admission $5.00 Reserved Seats $10.00
7:30pm
Pre-Ball Entertainment
Music by Lipstick Blonde
Orville Engle Gymnasium - Pineville High School
8pm
Grand Ball honoring the 2015 KMLF Queen
Music by Lipstick Blonde
Admission $25 single or couple
Pineville High School
SUNDAY MAY 24th
All Day
Golf Tournament Final Round
Wasioto Winds Golf Course
8am
KMLF Community Worship
Ray Harm Room, Pine Mountain State Park
9am
Queen’s Breakfast
honoring the 2015 KMLF Queen
Pine Mountain State Resort Park
Open to the Public Admission $15.00
Congratulations
to all of those
that help make
the Kentucky
Mountain Laurel
Festival such a
huge success!
University of Kentucky
KMLF Queen Candidate
Tennessee Rose Mills
Welcome to the 2015
Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
Clayton Homes
106 Cherry Street ~ Pineville
(606) 337-2045
US Highway 25E - Middlesboro, KY
606-248-4800
Visit us online at
www.claytonhomesofmiddlesboro.com
Good Luck
to our 2015
Kentucky Mountain
Laurel Festival
Princess Candidate
Emily Noel Pratt
Middlesboro High School
from Superintendent Steve Martin
and the Middlesboro Board of Education
Jeff Greene, Chairman
Kenny Pratt, Vice-Chairman
Bill Johnson, J.J. Jones,
and Charlotte Webb
2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Princess Candidates
Alexis Sierra Thompson
Bell County High School
Anna Katherine Bingham
Corbin High School
Hannah Kathryn Cawood Busroe
Harlan County High School
Laura Michael Pace
Harlan High School
PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE
Colbi Alexandria Johnson
Hazard High School
Enrica Dyanna Jackson
Knox Central High School
Olivia Racheal Saylor
Lynn Camp High School
Emily Noel Pratt
Middlesboro High School
Jaryn Alexa Noble
Model Laboratory School
Delaney Nicole Miniard
North Laurel High School
Makynsi Taylor McIntyre
Perry Central High School
Savanna Marie Nunnelley
Pineville High School
Kaylee Nicole Wilson
Pulaski County High School
Carly Neil Hudson
South Laurel High School
Emma Grace Cooper
Whitley County High School
PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE
(606) 337-3411
Welcome
to the 2015
Kentucky
Mountain
Laurel
Festival
Peoples Choice
PHARMACY
Medical Arts Centre - 30th Street & Cumberland Avenue
in Middlesboro, Kentucky
606 246 2001
Welcome to the 85th Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Queen Candidates
Caraline Berlyn McDowell
Alice Lloyd
Molly Rosalyn Parker
Bellarmine
Jessica Lee Blakeman
Campbellsville
Alisha Christine Russell
Centre
Chesney Addison Williams
Cumberlands
Jessica Danielle Casebolt
Eastern Kentucky
Kylie Morgan Fitzsimmons
Georgetown
Tennessee Rose Mills
Kentucky
Taylor Carol Wilson
Kentucky Wesleyan
Samantha Jo Hadley
Lindsey Wilson
Reno Ballou Davis
Morehead
Summer Leigh Davis
Murray State
Kelli Shae Dorton
Pikeville
Mariah McCarty House
Saint Catherine
Ashley Elizabeth Johnson
Somerset
Kacey Mariah Lefevers
Southeast
Elizabeth Ann Jones
Union
Lindsay Tate Ratliff
Western Kentucky
Welcome to the 85th Annual
Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
Welcome
to the
2015
Kentucky
Mountain
Laurel
Festival
(606) 248-7859
Danny Luttrell
Bob Dixon
Joe Stamper
Welcome to
Bell County and the
Kentucky Mountain
Laurel Festival
Good Luck
to our 2015
Kentucky Mountain
Laurel Festival
Princess Candidate
BELL COUNTY
BOARD of EDUCATION
Superintendent Yvonne Gilliam
Dean Knuckles, Larry Elliott
Eulene Brock and Brent Pursifull
Alexis Sierra Thompson
Bell County High School
Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Golf: (Left) 2014 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Golf Tournament winner Matt Gann. (Right) Elmo Greer after his win in the Senior
Division
of
the
tournament.
Last
minute
entries
to
this
year’s
tournament
can
be
made
by
calling
1-800-814-8002.
Pinnacle Photos / John Engle
Welcome to the 2015 Kentucky
Mountain Laurel Festival
Welcome to the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival!
Sizemore’s Hardware
Welcomes you to the 2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival
Sizemore’s has been a family owned and operated store since
1970. Their affiliation with the Do it Best Corporation since
1975 makes them part of over 4,400 independent hardware and
building material stores which gives them the buying power
needed to give their customers the absolute best value for their
dollar.
Check them out for garden supplies, plumbing supplies, and
electrical supplies.
They also have Valspar Paint, STIHL Power Equipment, building hardware, rental equipment, heat pumps and lots more!
Visit them online at www.sizemore.doitbest.com
GALA PARADE - Downtown Pineville One of the most popular events at the festival is
the KMLF Parade through downtown Pineville on Saturday morning. Balloons, floats,
bands, queen candidates and more weave their way through the downtown area beginning
at 10am Saturday morning.
Pnnacle Photos / Ray Welch
302 Kentucky Avenue
Downtown Pineville
606-337-2302
Highway 119
just past Mile Marker 3
606-337-6729
!"#
$%&
% !
'#()*'+ )#)) ! "#
$ ! $#%
&'() *
'$+)(*
! "#
$*+)+*
,$$$-./0122)(
+21$
.3$&/&45 6+7,-.
/666""
8$92"/-:.*1+;
8$%